As physically imposing as he was, at 6-foot-8 and 300 pounds, Alt became an All-Pro caliber left tackle because he was a technician, studying film and compiling extensive files on each of his opponents. Always adept at pass protection, Alt developed by 1989 into a punishing run blocker as well, and was instrumental in opening holes for Christian Okoye to lead the NFL in rushing that year. Howard Mudd, Alt’s position coach for the second half of his career, marveled at his steadiness and technical expertise. “It happens so infrequently, but when he is wrong he almost always profits from it,” Mudd said. “He sets very high standards for himself. He’s a perfectionist.” As the Chiefs became a perennial playoff contender in the ’90s, Alt’s stature rose as well. He earned first-team all-conference honors in 1990 and 1991, and Pro Bowl berths following the 1992 and 1993 seasons. “As a coach, it’s very, very important that you can rely on an individual’s ability to play to a certain level all the time,” said Marty Schottenheimer. “That is the thing I will always remember about John Alt. You never worried about left tackle.”